Crawford is going to hear a lot of Cajun-Tiger footsteps behind him this spring

Mike Fontenot? Ryan Theriot? Who are the Giants going to sign next, those alligators from “Pearls Before Swine?”

Joking aside, the Giants added more infield depth and potential insurance for young’un Brandon Crawford at short today by agreeing with free-agent Ryan Theriot to a one-year, $1.25 million contract. Like the Clay Hensley contract from yesterday, Theriot’s deal is pending a physical and not guaranteed, which means the Giants could cut Theriot by March 18 and pay him $208,333, or $312,500 between March 18 and the start of the season.

But here’s something I didn’t know until now: Fontenot’s $1.05 million is also non-guaranteed.

So here’s the upshot, as it was explained to me. Crawford, entering his second year in the bigs, is going into camp as the starting shortstop, as the Giants said he would. Fontenot, Theriot and Emmanuel Burriss provide the depth in the middle infield and will compete in spring training for reserve roles. Thus, Fontenot and Theriot, old friends from their LSU days and former keystone mates with the Cubs, likely will compete for the same job.

Theriot (.271/.321/.342 with St. Louis last year) is not going to set the world on fire with his bat, but that’s not why the Giants wanted him. They want to ensure they have a proper alternative to Crawford against left-handed pitching. And, I’m sure, have another shortstop option, period, if Crawford has a really bad spring and the brass feels he should go to Triple-A.

Over a six-year big-league career, Theriot’s OPS is 148 points higher against lefties (.768) than righties (.620). So he figures to have one step over Fontenot, who bats left-handed. As you would imagine, Fontenot’s career splits are nearly the reverse of that, though he had some good ABs against lefties last year. I’m sure manager Bruce Bochy and GM Brian Sabean will weigh their play at shortstop during spring training as well.

I’m not forgetting about Burriss, who is out of minor-league options and would need to be put through waivers if he doesn’t make the team.

Sabean loves competition, especially when the incumbent is a young player. Like most GMs, too, he doesn’t like to set his team in stone before spring training even begins. Bring in a bunch of guys, let them play, and laissez les bons temps rouler!